EQ settings on home recording unit???

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

'Kinda new to this!
So when I record vocals, do I just plug the mic into the board and put all the EQ knobs at the 12 0'clock position with no effects on anything, and then do all the tone EQ and effect stuff during the mix? Or do I EQ the vocal using the EQ knobs on the mixer (Yamaha MD8) at the time of recording? Is there a best known method or a good write-up someone can point me to?

I guess my question is...
What onboard or external EQ settings or effects should I use at the time of recording a vocal part to get the best sound in the final mix.

I have a 1/3 octave EQ, and some rackmount multi effect units with reverb, deley, and/or compression.

Thanks in advance,
Pete

[This message was edited by Pete Burak on 17 October 2000 at 05:00 PM.]

mtulbert · From: Plano, Texas 75023

Pete,

What a loaded question!!!. Here is what I have done in the past with good success.

When recording a vocal you want to get the best tonal (timbre) sound that you can. That is where the use of EQ comes in. If you are using tape remember that if you eq after the fact you are also eqing the noise as well...soo try for the best vocal you can achieve going into the tape.

As far as reverb and effects...always add them after the fact. If you do while you are recording, you are stuck and can not remove them if you decide later that the effect was done correctly.

Also listen to some cd's or tapes that you are familiar with to get an idea of what a good sounding vocal should sound like on your equiptment.

Good Luck

Mark T.

David Pennybaker · From: Conroe, TX USA

Like Mark said: EQ-before recording, effects after recording (during final mix-down). Wait -- also do compression BEFORE recording to tape. This helps tremendously in keeping a good S/N ratio.

Type of microphone, how far you stand from it, etc. will affect the amount of EQ you need.

------------------
The Unofficial Photographer of The Wilkinsons

[This message was edited by David Pennybaker on 17 October 2000 at 06:06 PM.]

Jon Light (deceased) · From: Saugerties, NY

Hi Pete. You may know this but....from my very limited experience let me add that it seems to me that nothing degrades your vocal recording quality more dramatically than a bad room--that is to say--mic position in the room. Avoid facing a wall with mic facing into the room--bad quick reflections coming off that wall will really mess you up. The more reflections you can eliminate, the better. Even if you have to hang a rug or something, it will help.
Flaws in the vocal track will knock the best recording down to 'home recording' status. Good recording techniques can kick it up a couple of notches.

Jeff Hogsten · From: Flatwoods Ky USA

I think your unit is digital so you wont have to fight noise as much but remember your mixer section up first. Set you gain at the top as hot as you can. Sing the loudess part of the song and set it right to where it is gettin ready to clip. Then eq it and remember always cut before you boost. Try cuttin some lo end and cut some mids around 4 to 500. That will give you the same effect as boosting the hi end and the mids. Also remember that adding eq adds distortion. After eqing set your gain again and your ready to go. remember to get as much gain as you can as soon as you can from each stage. It is like a water hose once it is chocked down you cant get more water through it. If you dont get signal from your gain first you will have to boost the signal from other parts of the board

Hope this helps

one more thing run the mix on your effects all the way wet and your aux on post if you have a choice

Jeff

Vernon Hester · From: Cayce,SC USA, R.I.P.

Before you start the Eq process, you need to sweep the room to find out what you are listening to and set the system flat as possible, I was called in to trouble-shoot a large recording studio one time everything was muddled in the low range played outside the studio(home and car).Found the room had a 2100Hz peak,causing mis-compensating on the big Quad-trac board (ADM). We never go over +3db to correct for different mikes.

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